Shopping centre staff are being overwhelmed by a mystery pong.

Workers on the basement level at Churchill Square, Brighton, say the smell has induced pounding headaches and tingling limbs.

It drifts up from the car park below as the two levels are linked by a flight of stairs and invades nearby stores.

Traders fear the stench will put off customers at Christmas, the busiest period of the retail year.

One worker, who did not want to be named, said: "We've had headaches, nausea, shaking hands, tingling limbs - all the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

"But carbon monoxide doesn't smell so there must be something else that is making it stink like that.

"And when we go outside we start to feel better again. By the time I have walked home I feel all right.

"It has been going on for about a month and I have complained to the centre management but have not heard anything back.

"It was mentioned in two management meetings but it never appeared in the minutes.

"I want someone to come and do a reading so I can reassure my customers that it is not dangerous."

Staff in several shops agreed the odour had been worse since the centre had become busier as Christmas approached.

In one store, as many as 20 customers had complained.

Another trader said: "The smell is really bad sometimes and makes you feel sick. You could think it was dirty nappies but not every time. The management just say it's the car park."

A colleague said: "We were told if it was dangerous then we would all be dead.

"But it has been giving us headaches and sickness and it affects our vision.

"Our manager has said when it happens again we should call the council."

Churchill Square manager Derek Maddison said: "During busy periods when there is a very, very long queue of cars waiting to get into Churchill One and the wind is blowing in a certain direction, we do get the smell of catalytic convertors coming from the car park.

"However, the quality of the air down there is tested regularly, recorded and logged and none of the results ever give us any cause for concern.

"We have a fan system in the car park which increases the ventilation if carbon monoxide levels go up so we are within the safety limits.

"I'm not saying that during busy periods there is not sometimes a smell but carbon monoxide is known as the silent killer because it has no odour."

His staff were in the process of replying to those traders who had sent a written complaint.

Friday November 14, 2003